Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

SEREN

S weat rolls down my sides as I lower myself into the final squat. Rema’s smash hit song pulses through my headphones, pushing me to do more.

I glance at my reflection in the hallway mirror, noticing the definition in my arms and the firm set of my shoulders—a testament to the past three months of grueling workouts.Yet, in my workplace, I remain a temporary shadow, constantly filling in for more established colleagues.

While I’m grateful for landing a job so quickly after arriving in New York, I need my own account to prove my worth. Adler Electrics is the closest I’ve come to a breakthrough, but I haven’t gotten an update from them in days. Until I secure that deal, I’m just a placeholder in the firm.

I jog back to my studio apartment, gulping down a banana on the way. Every Friday morning, our boss, William Dade, sweetens the weekly huddle with a batch of muffins, so I skip breakfast at home. I invest that time in hair and makeup.

As I’m applying the lip gloss on top of my lipstick, I study my final look in the mirror .

Slim figure, soft curls loose around my shoulders, a natural makeup look, and a frilly baby-pink top paired with a navy pencil skirt and matching jacket.

“No curves, no looks, no personality. She’s as compelling as fucking wallpaper.”

I’ve tried to forget that line, but it flashes through my head like clockwork each morning.

The daily reality checks make me want to look away, but I force myself to hold my gaze.

I run my fingers over the mirror’s surface, tracing the outline of my reflection. My eyes linger on the uneven lines of my top, the curve of my hips that feels too slight. I wish for a day when I could simply admire my reflection without dissecting every imperfection.

Exhaling a deep breath, I force a smile at myself and double-check the locks before leaving.

The subway ride is short, but it gives me a few minutes to clear my head. As I step out, the towering glass building of Cushman & Sedgwick comes into view. They occupy the forty-third and forty-fourth floors—a mid-sized law firm specializing in corporate law. I’m still on probation for another couple months, but every day, walking through the entrance fills me with a quiet sense of achievement.

“Morning, Seren. Looking good.” Layla smiles warmly from behind the reception desk, her hands gently arranging gorgeous calla lilies in a vase. A delicate citrus scent fills the air, gently puffing out of the diffuser.

“Morning, Layla.” I return the smile, grabbing candy from the glass bowl and popping it in my mouth before punching my thumb on the biometric scanner. “Busy day ahead? ”

“I’m hoping not, since I just made a reservation at the Hudson River Country Club for Theo, William, and three guests from 3 p.m. onward.”

“Really?”

Layla raises an eyebrow before giggling. “And here I thought you liked your bosses.”

“Well, I do, but if it means we get to leave early, then I’m all for it.” I laugh along, but my mind is racing. Both big bosses golfing mid-afternoon only means one thing: a new account signed up. It’s how they always bring new clients into the fold. I just wonder who it could be.

The conference room is half-full when I step in. At the back is a large setup for breakfast from one of the local café chains: pastries, lox bagels with cream cheese, cut fruits, cheese platters, fresh juices, and coffee boxes.

“What’s going on?” I ask, sitting beside one of the other new recruits, Ben. He’s focused on a cookie he snagged. He breaks it in two and offers me half.

“You didn’t hear?” he mumbles around a mouthful. “Big news about Adler.”

My heart skips a beat. Could this be my moment?

Before I can dig deeper, the door bursts open. William Dade strides in, his presence commanding. He has an athletic build, thick hair despite nearing fifty, and an impeccable sense of style. His jackets always have beautifully contrasting pocket squares and matching ties.

“Morning, team,” William greets us with a grin, and everyone sits up straighter. Ben drops the half-eaten cookie in my lap.

“Adler Electrics, as you all know, has been our top priority,” he announces, leaning against the back of the door .

A few murmurs start up from the back of the room. “After months of chasing them, as of 9 a.m. today, we are now on their retainer.”

The room erupts in applause. My heart pounds with excitement, yet I notice William doesn’t even glance in my direction.

“Jason,” William continues, gesturing to one of the lead attorneys sitting across from me, “will be the single point of contact for this account, supported by Tina and Mark.”

A pang of disappointment stabs through me. I keep clapping, though my heart isn’t in it anymore.

William glances around the room, his gaze landing on me. “I also want to acknowledge Seren Smith for her efforts. Her persistence in pursuing this account has not gone unnoticed.”

I continue clapping and nodding in acknowledgment, but my cheeks ache from the forced smile as my stomach twists with disappointment.

When the meeting concludes, everyone moves toward the breakfast spread. I grab a glass of fresh orange juice, trying to focus on the positives. Too bad I can’t think of any right now.

“Hey, Seren.” William approaches me with a side hug. “Excellent job. Even Theodore mentioned your relentless pursuit was crucial in the win.”

I place the orange juice down with a little more force than I intended, the liquid sloshing slightly. “Thanks, William. But I’ve got to ask—why didn’t I get put on the account?”

He avoids my gaze, focusing on his cup of fruit as he asks, “Do you think you’re ready? ”

“Even the interns have a fixed account each.” I hate pointing out the obvious.

William’s eyes linger on me for a moment longer than necessary, and I catch the faintest flicker of doubt in his gaze. “You need time, Seren, and you need to find your niche,” he says, his tone gentle, but I sense his unspoken doubts.

My hands clench into fists at my sides as I force a nod, hating that I might not ever fit in here, either.

We both stay quiet for a moment until he pulls out his phone and the next second, my phone buzzes.

“There’s a high-profile networking event next week,” William says, putting his phone away. “I just sent you the invite. You should come. It’s an excellent opportunity to mingle with a diverse set of industry people.”

I nod, staring at the screen. Will this help find my niche, or just introduce me to more people who don’t believe in me?

I spend half my day supporting Tina and Mark as they set up the Adler account in our system, sorting through and keeping track of all previous case documents for them. At exactly five o’clock, I’m out of the office.

Since I generally take the 6:15 train back, I’m shocked at how much less crowded the train is an hour before that. The lack of people makes the twenty-minute ride back feel even faster than usual. The sun is still bright in the sky and despite the depressing day in the office, I feel the heaviness lifting a little.

Instead of going straight back home, I stop by a flower shop on the way. I need a pick-me-up. I frown at the roses and keep my eyes away from lilacs, a word I now only hear in Theron’s voice. Calla lilies are expensive. There’s a beautiful selection of wildflowers at the back—fifteen dollars for the whole bunch. I’m about to pick it up when I notice a dainty bunch of lavender at the back. It’s a thin arrangement and feels a couple of days old, if not more. It looks sad and abandoned, shoved in a corner like this. It’s only five dollars for the whole thing, like a throwaway.

“Aww, I’m glad they’re getting a home.” The florist smiles at me as I hand the cash to her.

“Not very popular around here?” I ask while she carefully trims the bottom of the stems.

“This is Manhattan. People want roses, not roadside weeds. I just keep them in stock in honor of an old customer. Sometimes they even sell. Otherwise, I just enjoy them.” As she hands them over to me, she smiles. “I think they’re lovely.”

I smile back. I feel so much better with the bunch in hand that I decide to also get a dress for myself for the event next week. There’s a French artiste’s boutique down the road. I’m almost home, carrying my old flowers and a new dress, when my phone buzzes.

Glitch. 7 p.m. sharp. Don’t even think about bailing.

I type a quick reply and hit send: Bet. I’ll be there. Don’t be late tho, I’m starving.

Despite the instant thumbs-up my message gets, Jane arrives ten minutes late.

“Chill, I know,” she says, sliding into the booth. “I had a court appearance for a client and then I had to rush back to file documents.” She works in one of the small boutique law firms, so her court appearances started basically as soon as she joined.

We order our usual, a round of margaritas and a plate of nachos .

“It feels like it’s been forever,” she sighs as we clink our cocktail glasses. “You know you should’ve moved in with us.”

I shake my head. “Nope, no way. I love my new place.”

Jane wipes the extra salt off the rim of her glass while looking at me. “You’re looking good, you know. More toned. And your skin is seriously glowing.” She takes a sip before asking, “Don’t bother denying it. I’ll bet ten dollars you’re hooking up with someone.”

I sip my drink, trying to play it off cool, but my mind floods with the images of the last time I was with anyone. The memory of black eyes looking at me with so much love makes my insides drop. “How’s your work, by the way?”

Jane giggles. “No. We’re not talking about work.” Popping a nacho into her mouth, she brings up her favorite topic. “You know, you should really start using those dating apps. You’re totally ready. I mean, look at you.” She gestures at me dramatically.

“Maybe someday.” I manage a smile.

Thankfully, she doesn’t push further. “So, how’s it going working with Dade now that he’s your boss instead of your professor?”

“I don’t know. We won the Adler account today, something I’ve been chasing for months, and he didn’t put me on it. Ben and I are the only ones in the firm with zero fixed accounts. We only support others on theirs.”

She frowns. “Strange. But he wouldn’t seek you out for his firm if he didn’t think you were capable.”

I sigh. “I think he feels I’m too soft and not assertive enough.”

“C’mon! It’s Dade we’re talking about. Do you really think he would hire you if he didn’t think you were the right fit? Though I do think you could be more assertive.”

“Well, I decided to practice pushback with the people who are actually on the Adler account. I did everything required until office hours ended, and I punched out at five sharp.”

Jane giggles. “Good for you. Always push back.” Flipping through the menu she asks, “What do you want?”

The garlicky shrimp smell fills the air as our food arrives, making my stomach churn. I push the platter away, opting for the loaded potato skins instead. Jane arches an eyebrow at me.

“What’s up with you?” she asks, biting into her shrimp taco. “You love tacos.”

“I’m just not in the mood today,” I say, rolling the cheesy potatoes around in my mouth, trying to ignore the churning in my stomach.

Jane shrugs and continues eating. “So, speaking of being in the mood, I’ve been having the worst period cramps lately. It’s like my uterus is staging a revolt.”

Her words hit me like a bolt of lightning. My fork clatters onto the plate, and I freeze, calculating backward. Three months. I haven’t had a period in three freaking months .

My mind races, panic rising in my chest. I discreetly push my cocktail aside, suddenly unable to even look at it.

“Seren, are you okay?” Jane’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. “Just tired, I guess. ”

She looks at me suspiciously but doesn’t push further, and thankfully, she shifts the conversation to Hollywood gossip.

After we finish dinner, for once I splurge and take a cab, stopping at a pharmacy on the way home. The cashier rings me up without a word, but I can feel her eyes on me as she hands me the pregnancy test kits. I feel like the entire store knows what I’m buying.

At home, I dump my bag on the floor and head straight to the bathroom. My heart pounds as I tear open the first test, my hands trembling slightly. I follow the instructions with shaky precision, then force myself to wait.

I spend the next five minutes praying.

Since I’ve only ever been with Theron, I know if I’m pregnant I’m in serious trouble. I don’t want a permanent reminder of him. Plus, it would most likely be a werewolf baby. I don’t think my body can handle that.

Five minutes later, I glance at the tests before looking at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. All three of them display the same result. I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse.